LITTLE ROCK — Paul the octopus, deadat2/ 1 2
Paul the octopus, the tentacled tipster who fascinated soccer fans by predicting results at the World Cup, died Tuesday.
Paul had reached the octopus old age of 2 1/2 years and died in his tank Tuesday morning at the Sea Life aquarium in the western German city of Oberhausen, spokesman Ariane Vieregge said.
Paul correctly tipped the outcome of all seven of Germany’s games. He made his predictions by opening the lid of one of two clear plastic boxes, each containing a mussel and bearing a team flag.
The octopus seemed to be in good shape when he was checked late Monday, but he did not make it through the night. He died of natural causes, Vieregge said.
“We had all naturally grown very fond of him and he will be sorely missed,” Sea Life Manager Stefan Porwoll said in a statement.
Paul was held in such highesteem in World Cup-winning Spain after predicting the Spaniards to win that a town wants to preserve Paul’s body in a yet-to-be-built aquarium and octopus museum.
The northwestern town of Carballino adopted Paul as its honorary citizen in July, a measure which helped to nearly double the number of visitors to its annual octopus festival toabout 100,000.
Carballino Mayor Carlos Montes said he has contacted the aquarium more than once in an attempt to acquire Paul’s remains.
However, Paul is to be cremated, and the urn containing his ashes will form the center of a shrine surrounded by film clips of his tentacles successfully predicting match results by pointing to the flag of the winning country.
But the Sea Life aquarium is already raising a “Paul II” just in time to predict the 2012 European Football Championship.
Doctoring James
A radio host in Cleveland has hired a witch doctor in an attemptto send some bad mojo to basketball star LeBron James after he ditched the Cavaliers to play for the Miami Heat.
WMMS-FM broadcast the hex ceremony Tuesday morning, hours before the Heat’sseason opener in Boston.
The radio station says a witch doctor used bones, blood and aJames jersey to cast a curse on the two-time MVP.
The host of Rover’s Morning Glory says it’s payback for the way James called it quits with the Cavs earlier this year.
Free throws
From Reggie Hayes of The News-Sentinel in Fort Wayne, Ind.:
“Did you hear about the ‘contract termination’ letter the University of Tennessee sent tomen’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl after finding out Pearl hosted a barbecue with recruits, wherein he told them it was an NCAA violation and asked them not to tell?
“The universitydidn’t fire Pearl and are working on a new, lower-salary contract.
“After all, Pearl didn’t commit a true major offense, like finishing under .500.”
“NBA legend Magic Johnson said he would like to help bring an NFL team to Los Angeles.
Given his Michigan roots, I wonder why he doesn’t try to bring one to Detroit.”Quote of the day
“He’s fantastic. He’s
probably thrown for 10,000 yards. At least it
looks like it when you turn on the tape.” Vanderbilt Coach Robbie Caldwell on Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett
Sports, Pages 20 on 10/27/2010